Home

January 14, 2008

It means a gradual process of coming home to where we belong and listening there to the voice, which desires our attention. Home is the place where that first love dwells and speaks gently to us. Henri Nouwen

Our true home is in the present moment. The miracle is not to walk on water. The miracle is to walk on the green earth in the present moment. Peace is all around us--in the world and in nature--and within us--in our bodies and our spirits.
Thich Nhat Hanh

Early in the movie, Blood Diamond, a Mende village is plundered by a group of Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebels. Many people, including women and children, are murdered. The young boys of the village are taken, to be trained, in order to fight with the rebels. This group includes Dia, son of a fisherman, Solomon Vandy. Solomon's life is spared, but he is separated from his family and enslaved, to work in the diamond fields under the command of Captain Poison. "The RUF uses the diamonds to fund their war effort, often trading them directly for arms. While working in the RUF diamond fields as a forced laborer, Solomon finds a large diamond of rare pink colouring. Moments before government troops launch an attack, Captain Poison sees Solomon hiding the diamond. Captain Poison is injured in the attack before he can get the stone, and both he and Solomon are taken to prison in Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone. After an arduous overnight trek, the men reach the mining camp in a river valley, still under RUF control, where Solomon discovered and buried the large diamond. Here, Solomon is painfully reunited with his son Dia, who refuses to acknowledge him because he has been brainwashed by the rebels."(Notes from IMDb--the internet movie database and Blood Diamond).

In a tense scene, at the sight of the buried diamond, still refusing to acknowledge his father, Dia has a gun pointed at Solomon's head.

Solomon: "I am your father who loves you and you will come home and be my son again."

Dia's face reflects the anger and hatred and distrust instilled by the rebel indoctrination.

Solomon: "Dia, what are you doing? Dia! Look at me, look at me. What are you doing? You are Dia Vandy, of the proud Mende tribe. You are a good boy who loves soccer and school. Your mother loves you so much. She waits by the fire making plaintains, and red palm oil stew with your sister N'Yanda and the new baby. The cows wait for you. And Babu, the wild dog who minds no one but you. I know they made you do bad things, but you are not a bad boy. I am your father who loves you. And you will come home with me and be my son again."

With tears streaking his young face, Dia lowers his gun and falls into his Father's embrace. He is home.

There are many things that take us away from home. Anger, busyness, self-importance, vengeance, unforgiveness, despair, frenzied consumerism, heartache. It is seldom sudden. But in every instance there is this reality: this new weight becomes the definition for our identity. It tells us who we are. And it requires that we focus on the periphery issues, on the many things, on whatever is needed to impress, or manipulate, or use, or perform.

Like Dia, we cannot undo these "bad things". But we can allow ourselves to fall into the embrace of Grace.

"But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his ams around him and kissed him." (Luke 15:20--the parable of the prodigal son)

Poems / Prayers

Poems and Prayers

Whatever Happens
Whatever happens,
those who have learned
to love one another
have made their way
to the lasting world
and will not leave,
whatever happens.
Wendell Berry

Dear God,
We simplify our lives.
We live gladly with less.
We let go the illusion that we can possess.
We create instead.
We let go the illusion of mobility.
We travel in stillness. We travel at home.
By candlelight and in stillness
In the presence of flowers,
We make our pilgrimage.
We simplify our lives.
Amen.
Michael Leunig (When I Talk To You)

Peace,
Terry Hershey